© Event Captain 2007
You’ve done the research and you know your presentation material like the back of your hand. You’ve rehearsed the material, and you’re ready to go. You’re confident that you will capture your audience and hold their attention.
So what else can you do to make sure your presentation is smooth and hassle-free?
Practice these 7 secrets to ensure that when the time comes to give your presentation on the road, you’ll be fully prepared to give a perfect presentation every time:
Give a test-run of your presentation to office staff or a local audience. Arrange to have an audio and/or video recording made of your presentation before you go on the road. This will give you an opportunity to critique your performance and get a sense of audience reaction that you might not get while you’re speaking. It will also give you a recording that you could post on your website or copy onto CDs and DVDs to market to seminar attendees. You could also sell it to people who couldn’t attend.
If you plan ahead so you know what you’re getting into, you’ll ensure that the venue will work for you. Arrange to access the room and rehearse your presentation the night before, or if you cannot get access to the room, arrive at least two hours before your event to scope out the venue and attend to any last minute necessities. Remember to test all of your equipment. Make sure your projector and laptop are working and charged, and check the sound level of your microphone. If you are using the Internet during your presentation, test the connection to make sure it’s up and running. If the event is being recorded or video taped, have the technicians in place and test their equipment. Adjust your lighting and seating the way you want it to be, and make sure handouts are in place. Be sure to set up your registration table ahead of time if you have one.
If you’re going to give a presentation from your laptop, be prepared for the worse case scenario. (This tip comes from two of my clients who’ve experienced laptop disasters.) Never leave the office without e-mailing a copy of your presentation to someone on-site, or someone else who will also have a laptop at the event. It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of the presentation on CD or back it up onto a flash drive so you can carry it with you. Consider carrying overhead transparencies of your presentation.
Before you arrive, make sure someone from the venue is available on-site for any last minute changes or updates. Keep a name and number for the venue contact and any technical staff they have on duty. After you’ve scoped out the venue, you may need them to help make changes to the room, such as placement of furniture or room temperature. Also, if you have rented equipment, ask in advance that an audio/visual technician from the rental company be available for any technical questions or problems.
Laptop cords are the most commonly forgotten item. Always keep one in your office and have an extra in your travel bag. Consider purchasing a large capacity laptop battery to use when you know you won’t be near an electric outlet for long periods of time. You may also need extra batteries and chargers for your cell phones, Bluetooth earpieces, computer mouse, digital cameras, iPods, or whatever you take on the road with you. If you carry your own projection unit, make sure you bring an extra bulb.
Are you giving the same presentation with accompanying handouts in more than one location? (I once traveled through California with a speaker who altered his presentation for every city we visited and gave handouts of his presentation to all attendees. I later traveled with other speakers nationally who did the same thing.) Get to know the copy and print shops in the seminar city ahead of time to save you time when you get there.
If you want to hand out paper copies of your presentation, and you don’t have time to make copies before you hit the road or don’t what to carry or send them, check with your venue to find the nearest copy and print shop and find out their hours of business. Ask if your venue or hotel has a business center that may be able to do it for you. They are a bit more expensive but it might be worth the time it saves.
If you can, get the attendee list ahead of time and send your attendees an e-mail of your presentation as well. It will give you an opportunity to get their valuable contact information and start communicating with them before the event.
Think this is silly? I’ve had speakers forget to pick up their dry cleaning the night before we left for our seminar tour, and they were forced to buy a pair of pants and have them tailored on-the-road. I’ve had speakers stop and buy ties because they forgot them or spilled something on them. I attended a seminar where the speaker had brought a new pair of shoes that turned out to be too tight, and he had to give his presentation in his socks. Are you seeing a trend? Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or decide what to wear. Bring one extra outfit (or shirt and tie), just in case. Remember, for you to feel comfortable and give a great presentation, you need to look your absolute best for your audience and present a professional image.
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